Let’s face it: cats can be stinky. It’s just a part of who they are, and we accept it as something we have to deal with in order to gain all of the amazing benefits of living with and loving a cat. The good news is that, with some attention and care, litter box odors don’t have to take over our homes.
You may also be interested in this article: Want To Get The Most Out Of Kitty Litter? Follow These Tips.
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#1 – Scoop often
Scooping often removes the source of the odor. If you’ve got the time and motivation, it’ll do wonders to scoop the box several times a day. For most situations, though, scooping once per day is sufficient as long as you’re consistent about it. Of course, proper disposal of what you’ve scooped is important too. For best results, tie the waste up into a biodegradable bag and bring it directly to a trash can or scoop into a container like a Litter Genie, which will seal odors inside it.
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#2 – Change the litter often
Many litter box odor problems happen because the litter isn’t changed as often as it should be. Even if you use a litter that clumps well and scoop it every day, odor-causing particles are left behind. If you use a clumping litter, the whole box of litter should be completely switched out once per month. If you choose a non-clumping litter, a full switch should happen once per week. When you pour out the old litter, you should also wash the box with warm soapy water and allow the box to completely dry out before refilling the box with fresh litter.
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#3 – Use the correct amount of litter boxes
Forcing three cats to use one litter box is a quick way to create a stinky situation. Experts recommend having one litter box per cat, plus one. So, for two cats you should have three litter boxes, and for fifteen cats you should have sixteen litter boxes (but if you have fifteen cats maybe you should add a few more for good measure). The idea here is that dispersing the stink into several minor stinks will help you avoid one major stink.
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#4 – Keep the boxes in a ventilated room
It should probably go without saying that proper ventilation goes a long way when it comes to minimizing odors. A litter box will smell a lot less offensive if it is able to “air out” in a room with a window, for instance, rather than in a small stagnant closet. Take this into consideration when you’re choosing placement.
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#5 – Use odor-control products
Sometimes you’ll need odor controlling products, even when you’re doing everything right. Baking soda does a great job absorbing odors and moisture. Get into a habit of sprinkling a bit of baking soda into the litter box after each daily scooping. If you want to use something special, House of Cat makes a litter box deodorizer that helps eliminate odors with lavender and mint!